Don't Forget
by Raye of the Sunshine
Summary: RokuNami week day 6: never forgotten. Roxas misses her, but he's got a mission in the Land of the Dead.


_Remember me, though I have to say goodbye_

_Remember me, don't let it make you cry_

_For even if I'm far away, I hold you in my heart…_

Roxas dawdled as he explored the Land of the Dead. One of the Samurai Nobodies—and _why_ they still listened to him, he had no idea—had gotten lost down here, and so he had to find it. Dia de los Muertos was in full swing, sundown only an hour before. Magic made him blend in, and wasn't _that_ weird, not having skin anymore? His face had black and white swirls etched in, and hearts at the corners of his eyes. In homage to his keyblades and his fight for his own sense of self, no doubt.

Music played everywhere, and the streets were still rather crowded. Roxas decided to enjoy himself while he looked; the Nobody could handle itself and would stay out of sight so as not to cause a panic. His samurai were trained well. That meant he didn't have to rush and accidentally pass over it, while having the chance to explore.

Explore he did. Over the next several hours, he walked the streets, watched at least one talent competition, and ate a variety of food. He'd even wandered down to the Forgotten, but quickly saw his missing samurai was nowhere down there. So with a somewhat melancholy farewell, he headed back up into the city. By the time he did, it was close to sunrise, and most people returned from the Land of the Living. A couple more hours, and everyone would be asleep. Roxas hoped he found his samurai by then, as he felt uneasy about being the only one walking the streets.

He passed a small plaza when he paused. Someone plucked at a guitar, which wasn't unusual compared to the rest of the night, but the man had a very interesting one. It was white, decorated to look like a skull, which _maybe_ wasn't that weird or different compared to everyone else, but it still drew his attention. The man sat in front of a shoe shop, people who were probably his family gathered close. Roxas was about to keep walking when he heard singing.

"_Remember me, though I have to say goodbye,_" the man sang in a strong, yet gentle voice. Roxas had heard a few snippets of this song throughout the night, but no one sang it with the same feeling as this man. So, he inched closer.

One verse in and he wished he hadn't. The song forcefully reminded him of what he lost. He slumped down onto a bench and held his head in his hands. They lost Naminé. Searching for her was his main mission, one he had tried forgetting for a night while looking for his missing samurai. No one knew where she was, or if she even existed anymore. And then, gradually, she faded from everyone's minds as they focused on other tasks or their own lives. But Roxas couldn't forget. He missed her—her voice, her wisdom, her smile—but missing her wouldn't bring her back.

"Don't cry, don't cry," he mumbled to himself, grinding the heels of his palms into his eyes. He had a mission he needed to do. Naminé wouldn't be found or remembered by crying.

Tears slipped past his hands anyway.

The song finished, followed by the sound of voices and clattering bones. Maybe the people were going home, or going inside. He didn't know; he just needed to breathe and control his tears.

"Hey, chamaco, you all right?" a voice said, one Roxas recognized as the singer.

He looked up to see that it _was_ the singer. The man's bones looked a bit worn, but his clothes were new. "I—I," he stammered, trying to think about how to answer.

The man sat next to him, resting the strange guitar against the bench. "That song does tend to have a certain effect on people. My name is Héctor Rivera, and it's good to meet you."

Roxas took the offered hand and shook it. The worn bones in Héctor's hand belied a firm strength. "I'm Roxas. I was just passing through when I heard you singing. You're really good, Sr. Rivera."

"Aah, thank you, but you should hear my great-great grandson Miguel. He's a genius." The pride radiated off the man, and Roxas couldn't help but smile.

"Maybe next year." Maybe, if he found Naminé by then, they could visit together. Thinking of her made his face fall again.

Héctor saw this. "You sure you're all right?" Ignoring that Roxas never even answered the first time.

If he had lips, Roxas would've bit his. As it was, he fidgeted with his fingers. "I'm the only one who remembers her," he admitted, and it felt like his chest was being cut by a dozen knives. Héctor sucked in a gasp, clearly sympathetic and horrified by his statement. "All the others gave up looking for her. We don't even know if she's here anymore. That's why I… your song…"

"It's hard to lose someone," Héctor said. "We know it's part of life and death, but it doesn't make it any easier. But it's clear she's important to you."

"More than anything." He just wanted to see her again. She couldn't be gone, could she?

"Hold her memories close to you. Even if you're the last one who remembers, you can't give up. It's too much like saying goodbye forever." Héctor sounded like he had said this many times before, which made the boy wonder what kind of life this man had lived.

Roxas nodded. Maybe that was why he was so upset by everyone else's behavior. It was too much like giving up. Like letting go permanently. He couldn't forget her, not after she fought so hard to tell him the truth. Not after she gave up everything for her friends, or saved them from certain death. Forgetting the way Naminé smiled, or the way she pressed her fingers together? Forget how she saved his life over and over? Never.

Héctor continued, "I'm not saying to give up looking—maybe she's still around, if you haven't found her yet—but even if you find out she's gone… you don't have to forget too. There are a lot of forgotten people I still remember."

"That's something she'd say." It brought a smile back to his face. "Thank you, Sr. Rivera. I'd better get going now."

Héctor patted his shoulder and got up as well, picking up his guitar. "Be careful going back, Roxas. Good night."

Roxas waited another couple minutes after Héctor left to get back to his feet. The streets past this neighborhood were the last he'd check before going to more extreme measures. He walked down them, roaming streets and alleyways, when he finally spotted his missing Nobody. "There you are!" he called, but kept his voice low.

"My liege," the creature replied, turning and bowing to him.

"Don't worry, I can lead you out of here," Roxas said, coming to a stop. Then he spotted a familiar pair of shoes peeking out from behind the samurai. "Naminé?" His voice was dumbfounded. How had his missing Nobody found her?

"My liege, we went looking for the lady as soon as we heard you were searching for her," said Nobody began to explain as Roxas knelt next to her.

Her face was etched with yellow stars and white feathers. Hearts sat nestled against the corner of her eyes as well. She looked like she was sleeping.

"You weren't lost, were you? You just didn't know how to move her?"

The samurai bowed. "The lady was very fragile when I found her. But now that you are here, my liege, I think it is safe to move her."

Roxas wasted no time and swept her into his arms. The movement woke her enough to wrap her arms around his neck. "Hello Roxas," she whispered, sounding exhausted.

"We found you," he said, holding her tighter. "You're going home now, Naminé, it's all right."

"Home… with you?" She sounded so _tired_; he wondered what happened to her to make her disappear like that and unable to come home. He could worry about it later, however, as at that moment, she was in his arms and safe.

"Yes."

"Okay," she sighed, and fell back asleep, even through the transition back to flesh and blood. Roxas carried her all the way back home, relieved that persevering had brought her home again.


End file.
